FB: Duke 38, NCSU 20 (woot!)

[uh_no]

Connette did indeed throw four picks against Pitt. He also threw for four touchdowns and ran for two more. He was the only quarterback for a team that scored 55 points against a likely bowl team.

Connette threw for 324 yards and three touchdowns and ran for two more in a 38-31 win over Troy. Pretty sure Duke needed all five of the touchdowns he accounted for. Connette also led Duke back from a 14-14 tie against Memphis, after Boone went down with his collarbone injury.

If we're eliminating Connette for the four interceptions against Pitt, shouldn't we eliminate Boone for seven picks in two games?

Which would leave Duke in pretty dire straits.

Boone has been very good at times this year. So has Connette. Boone has been pretty shaky at times this year So, has Connette.

Duke has five days to figure it out and it needs to get figured out. But I don't think it's all that clear cut. I suspect the starting nod could go either way and more strongly suspect we'll see both until such a time as one guy plays well enough that we're not having this debate.

That's all i'm saying. I was intentionally cherry picking the worst of connette to counter the cherry picking of Boone's worst from the season as overwhelming justification of his potentially not getting the nod. Maybe we beat pitt with boone, maybe we lose to UVA and NCSU without connette...One thing I'm confident in, at least, is that we're not 7-2 without both guys on the team.

[jimsumner]

That's all i'm saying. I was intentionally cherry picking the worst of connette to counter the cherry picking of Boone's worst from the season as overwhelming justification of his potentially not getting the nod. Maybe we beat pitt with boone, maybe we lose to UVA and NCSU without connette...One thing I'm confident in, at least, is that we're not 7-2 without both guys on the team.

Perhaps we would have better discussions if we didn't intentionally cherry pick facts to support our positions.

You very specifically asked for examples of what Connette had accomplished this season and I specifically answered that question.

[uh_no]

Perhaps we would have better discussions if we didn't intentionally cherry pick facts to support our positions.

Or, perhaps, avoided suggesting that opposing viewpoints are not only wrong, but altogether insupportable. It was not the opinion I took exception with, but the degree with which the opposing opinion was dismissed, and with a level of reasoning we might call hand-wavy. Thus all I really wanted to show was that there was even a glimmer of evidence that my opinion was reasonable, which I did by pulling some of the worst of Connette's worst. Perhaps I didn't do as well of a job as I would have hoped.

TL/DR:
person A) boone has been bad, connette has been great: unimaginable to start boone!
person B) hold on one second, connette has been bad too, one can still make a case for boone

[Henderson]

During his press conference after the NCSU game, Cut said something to the effect that he anticipates that both QBs will make contributions to the effort going forward.

[OldPhiKap]

During his press conference after the NCSU game, Cut said something to the effect that he anticipates that both QBs will make contributions to the effort going forward.

He also said that the coaches had to figure out why the practices did not translate to game day the last few weeks. Boone has apparently looked good in practice, even full-speed best-on-best.

I agree, I am sure we will see both.

[BlueDevilinNYC]

During his press conference after the NCSU game, Cut said something to the effect that he anticipates that both QBs will make contributions to the effort going forward.

Duke has never lost a game in which Boone has started. This in itself is reason enough to call him the "starter" imo. If he goes out next week and has two/three bad drives in a row, switch it over to Brandon. But don't mess with good results (wins)

[killerleft]

Since Boone has had two bad games in a row, I would start Connette. His general toughness and ability to turn bad plays into good ones gets him the nod from me. His instincts seem better, as well. I WOULD say, however, that no matter where I stayed last night, nobody is accusing me of being one of the best quarterback coaches in the game.

Both QBs deserved better completion rates than they got. Our guys dropped several passes that may have made things much easier offensively for us.

Edwards! Who's Edwards!? I sure know now

[flyingdutchdevil]

...I watched the second half of the VT game and the second half of the NCSU game. And Boone just looked really bad. I don't think there is a way to really describe it any other way. When Connette came in, he looked so much better: passing accuracy, passing to the appropriate player, and toughness. His one bad fumble was really good D by NCSU.

I am not trying to be controversial, but what does Boone offer than Connette doesn't? I'm sure my small sample size is too small to draw conclusions, but I loved what I saw with Connette and not so much with Boone.

[uh_no]

...I watched the second half of the VT game and the second half of the NCSU game. And Boone just looked really bad. I don't think there is a way to really describe it any other way. When Connette came in, he looked so much better: passing accuracy, passing to the appropriate player, and toughness. His one bad fumble was really good D by NCSU.

I am not trying to be controversial, but what does Boone offer than Connette doesn't? I'm sure my small sample size is too small to draw conclusions, but I loved what I saw with Connette and not so much with Boone.

The ability to hit receivers in stride deep, and the ability to play near perfectly at times (see Navy). He hasn't played like that lately, for sure, but the ceiling is higher.

The argument is largely if boone is "off" he's not not that much worse than connette (yesterday's all around ineffectiveness for both parties is good evidence of this), but when he is on, he's far better than connette, so take the risk to start the game...best case, he opens it up with some long balls early, worst case, he's ineffective and we give connette a shot.

My argument is that it's more likely to throw the defense off bringing in connette to follow boone than the other way around. So start with the more standard QB and bring in the unique one later...and that's a compliment to connette...that what he brings is difficult to adjust to on the fly...so if he starts, we loose that "element of surprise"...since teams get into the mindset of who's starting.

if they see boone coming out on the first drive they go "okay we're playing boone today" then connette comes in and gives them a surprise left hook out of nowhere...

[Wander]

I know this feels weird to say for a Cutcliffe-coached team, but the truth is that we just don't have great quarterback play. It's a huge testament to the other positions that we've had this good of a season thus far. Consider: we're tied for dead last in the ACC with 15 interceptions thrown. There are, of course, other statistics that are not nearly as bad, but the bottom line is our passing game is decent but not great. I don't know if there's a great solution - probably just keep using both guys.

[Devil in the Blue Dress]

I know this feels weird to say for a Cutcliffe-coached team, but the truth is that we just don't have great quarterback play. It's a huge testament to the other positions that we've had this good of a season thus far. Consider: we're tied for dead last in the ACC with 15 interceptions thrown. There are, of course, other statistics that are not nearly as bad, but the bottom line is our passing game is decent but not great. I don't know if there's a great solution - probably just keep using both guys.

I would add the QB is one of the positions where injuries have influenced what's going on in terms of all sorts of aspects of play this season. Both starters have had injuries which have interred with their development over the course of the season. And one who could be a great has been out for the season.

[mike88]

I know this feels weird to say for a Cutcliffe-coached team, but the truth is that we just don't have great quarterback play. It's a huge testament to the other positions that we've had this good of a season thus far. Consider: we're tied for dead last in the ACC with 15 interceptions thrown. There are, of course, other statistics that are not nearly as bad, but the bottom line is our passing game is decent but not great. I don't know if there's a great solution - probably just keep using both guys.

Brandon Connette has the 16th highest quarterback ranking in the country. He had a bad game vs Pitt in terms of interceptions, but he has shown an outstanding arm and lately, his decision making has been excpetional.

[flyingdutchdevil]

The ability to hit receivers in stride deep, and the ability to play near perfectly at times (see Navy). He hasn't played like that lately, for sure, but the ceiling is higher.

The argument is largely if boone is "off" he's not not that much worse than connette (yesterday's all around ineffectiveness for both parties is good evidence of this), but when he is on, he's far better than connette, so take the risk to start the game...best case, he opens it up with some long balls early, worst case, he's ineffective and we give connette a shot.

My argument is that it's more likely to throw the defense off bringing in connette to follow boone than the other way around. So start with the more standard QB and bring in the unique one later...and that's a compliment to connette...that what he brings is difficult to adjust to on the fly...so if he starts, we loose that "element of surprise"...since teams get into the mindset of who's starting.

if they see boone coming out on the first drive they go "okay we're playing boone today" then connette comes in and gives them a surprise left hook out of nowhere...

Thanks for the hefty response. Good to know that about the two QBs. To sum up, Boone is more risky but potentially gives a higher reward. Looks like Cutcliffe will need to read the tea leaves on Friday night!

[killerleft]

Brandon Connette has the 16th highest quarterback ranking in the country. He had a bad game vs Pitt in terms of interceptions, but he has shown an outstanding arm and lately, his decision making has been excpetional.

Connette is also poised to become Duke's all-time rushing touchdown king. No telling what he could do if he was any good at anything. He is the Rodney Dangerfield of Duke Football!

[mkline09]

I think a lot of the concern over quarterback play is reasonable but the biggest concern I've had from the offense is their aversion to running the ball. Now in years past that wasn't what you wanted but this is a good running team. Yet in the last two game they have strayed away from that. Cutcliffe during his Sunday teleconference addressed that very issues and said that the deployment of opposing defenses made them feel the passing options were open to them so they took them. However, he admitted that the offense is much more consistent and comfortable when they establishing he run, which he said they were going to try to do going forward. I think if you do that you take pressure off either QB and allow them to ease into the passing game. I would guess Boone will start but I'd be surprised if Connette and Boone don't alternate.

[CameronBlue]

Brandon Connette has the 16th highest quarterback ranking in the country. He had a bad game vs Pitt in terms of interceptions, but he has shown an outstanding arm and lately, his decision making has been excpetional.

VT's defense was exceptional, State's pretty good. Reflexively I would have said that Miami has a defense somewhere in between, definitely above average, that is until it made Logan Thomas look like a Heisman candidate. But Boone's lack of execution, the ability to disguise his intent and misdirect against good defenses has been demonstrated for 2 straight games. Connette definitely seems on the upswing. Were it my call, Connette would get the nod. His decision making has been superb as noted and even a 3 and out is better than an INT for obvious reasons. Keep mistakes to a minimum and let Monday prove to be the difference in the battle of field position. For that reason I prefer Connette as a starter but both will play and both need to be successful for Duke to have a chance IMO. I don't see one or the other tossing up a 300+ yard, 4 TD, 0 pick type of performance. Hopefully Miami's D makes me eat those words.

[FerryFor50]

Start Boone. Play Connette in "wild devil" packages, where he is a legitimate dual threat. Sub Connette in if Boone struggles. There are worse problems to have than two starting calibre QBs.

[Scorp4me]

you're right...we should just forget a non-memorable outing against GT, a 4 INT effort against PITT, and instead only consider his 1 successful drive yesterday, and the single pass he threw to reeves in the flat against UVA that happened to turn into a TD

I'm curious, what exactly has he accomplished and against whom?

Look, I love what he's done for the team this year. I love what he brings to the team when he comes into the game. Do I think one can make a case for connette to start? sure...but to say that he is the "obvious" choice, and that it is inconsiderable for boone to start is just....inconsiderable...

both QBs had some ups and lots of downs yesterday. The coaches could feasibly go with either one. I like boone, you like connette...let's not pretend that the other's position is invalid...

I was going to reply but it looks like jim beat me to it. It's not just the int's that are hurting Boone. The offense stalls with him. Take a look at the NC State game. 3 int's and when you take out the early strike to Crowder that was basically it. Same with the VaTech game. You mentioned Connette's 4 int's against Pitt...but look at what else he did in the game. Even his fumble in the State game he had the offense moving for the first time since the 1st quarter it felt like

Everyone says Boone has more potential and I certainly believed that in the beginning. But I just don't see it now. In addition to being much more of a dual threat, Connette seems to have the better arm. More accurate in the short passes and we seem to throw down field more when he is in the game.

I'm not sure why, but the offense just seems to respond better when Connette is in the game lately. He seems to be making better decisions and executing with more confidence. I like them both, I love that they seem to be each other's biggest supporters. And as I said, I don't get to see the practices, but Connette did great when he was the starter. Why leave him on the sidelines when Boone is struggling...especially if he may bring more potential to the field.

Maybe he starts and falls apart I don't know, but that kid is a warrior. Just find it hard to believe.

[gep]

(I don't think this comment is off-limits)... Could Boone still have after-effects from the earlier injury? After all, he started in a game after the injury in which he wasn't expected to play at all...

[OldPhiKap]

Start Boone. Play Connette in "wild devil" packages, where he is a legitimate dual threat. Sub Connette in if Boone struggles. There are worse problems to have than two starting calibre QBs.

I think this is right. Maybe plan to play Boone the first two series, and Connette get third (regardless). Both know it is coming, neither takes it personally.